Infant&#39;s garment



Jan. 26, 1960 M. W. LIFF INFANTS GARMENT Filed March 6, 1957 INVENTOR. MAY W L/FF A TERA/5Y5 INFANTS GARMENT May W. Liif, West Hartford, Conn. Application. March 6, 1957, Serial No. 644,225.

2 Claims. ((12-49) This invention relates to an infants garment and, more particularly, to an infants shirt. 1

It is the general object of the invention to provide an infants shirt which is adapted to protect the infants body from liquids spilling on the front section of the shirt.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an infants garment which can be worn in the usual" manner for play and for feeding and which can be kept clean with less frequent laundering than is necessary for the conventional shirt.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an infants shirt having a moisture-proof front section and also having a detachable front panel which can be laundered separately from the shirt and which, therefore, can be worn as a protective bib or as a decorative shirt front.

The drawing shows a preferred embodiment of the invention and such embodiment will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed, and that the drawing and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front view of an infants garment comprising a shirt having a front panel detachably secured thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a corner of the panel detached from the shirt to illustrate the manner in which the panel collar is inserted within the neck opening of the shirt;

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 showing the panel further removed from the shirt and the panel collar fully detached therefrom;

Fig. 4 is similar to the other views, showing the panel secured only at one corner to the shirt front;

Fig. 5 is a view of the shirt and panel fully separated from each other; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken as indicated by the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

As shown in Fig. l, the infants garment provided in accordance with the present invention comprises a fabric shirt or shirt body 10 having a front section 12 and a back section 14 which cooperate to define shoulder portions 16, 16 and a neckline or'neck opening 20. Any desired fabric can be used in the making of the shirt 10, as for example tufted terry cloth as illustrated, and the shirt can be provided with long sleeves 22, 22 as shown or it can have half sleeves or no sleeves at all. It is also a matter of choice whether the shirt is provided in pull-over style or with a buttoned back as shown.

It is an important feature of the invention that a moisture-proof sheet 24, such as a plastic sheet, is permanently secured along its edges to the shirt 10 at the front section '12 and, preferably, the sheet 24 is secured along its upper edge to the front section at the shoulder portions 16, 16 and adjacent the neckline or opening 20 to extend downwardly therefrom to the bottom edge of the shirt.

2,92Z,l64 Patented Jan. 26, 1960 ice The said sheet is preferably also securedto the front section 12 along its side edges and along its lower edge. The moisture-proof sheet 24 is provided on the front section of the shirt to prevent any form of moisture spilling'on the front section of the shirt from soaking therethrough to wet the child. Obviously, the sheet 24 provides a permanently aflixed bib for the shirt which can easily be cleaned after feeding or when any other material or moisture spills on the shirt.

It is. another important feature of the present invention, that a fabric panel 26 is provided to be detachably secured to the front section of the shirt 10 over the moisture-proof sheet 24. Preferably, the panel 26 is coextensive with the moisture-proof sheet 24'and secured to the shirt 10 at its four corners by snap fasteners 28, 28 having elements 28a, 28a located at the shoulder portions 16, 16 of the shirt and adjacent the bottom edge thereof. The detachable panel 26 when secured to the shirt 10 as shown in Fig. 1 covers the moisture-proof sheet 24 as a decorative or dress element of the garment, the moisture-proof sheet not being particularly decorative or appealing from the standpoint of style. The panel can be removed from the shirt during feeding periods or when moisture spilling is anticipated so as to prevent it from becoming soiled.

However, in addition to its style purpose, the panel 26 is functional as a bib. That is, the panel 26 is provided with a moisture-proof sheet 30 which is secured to the inner side of the panel adjacent the upper portion thereof to prevent water and moisture from soaking through the panel and wetting any shirt to which it is attached.

In addition, a crescent shaped half-collar 32 is secured to' the top edge of the panel so that it can be tucked into the neck opening 20 of the shirt as best shown in Fig. 2. A moisture-proof sheet 34 is permanently secured to the inner side of the collar 32 to provide additional protection against the ingress of moisture.

Thus, the panel 26 can be worn as a bib for feeding the infant and by the provision of the moisture-proof sheet 30 and the half-collar 32 lined with the moistureproof sheet 34, the bib doubly protects the upper chest and neck portion of the infant from the ingress of moisture during feeding. When the bib or panel is aflixed as shown in Fig. 1, there are three layers or sheets of moisture-proof material between the childs chest and the outer surface of the garment, and none of the moistureproof sheets engages the childs skin to cause chafing or any other discomfort. Obviously, the bib or panel 26 can be worn at other than feeding periods to provide style and decoration for the shirt 10, and during such periods of casual wear, the panel and attached collar protect the neck and upper chest from moisture caused by saliva as may be occasioned particularly during the childs teething period.

It will also be obvious that in use of the detachable panel or bib 26, the front section of the shirt 10 is protected from the elements normally causing the shirt to be soiled and which usually necessitate frequent laundering thereof. The panel or bib will sustain soil and damage of wear, but it can be laundered separately from the shirt and at more frequent intervals and with considerably less effort.

The invention claimed is:

1. An infants garment comprising a fabric shirt body having connected front and back sections defining shoulder portions and a neck opening, said front section being provided with a moisture-proof sheet which is secured along its edges externally to said front section of the shirt and which extends from the shoulder portions and neck opening downwardly therefrom to the bottom edge of the shirt, a fabric panel substantially coextensive with said moisture-proof sheet detachably secured to the front 3 section of the shirt at the said shoulder portions and at the bottom edge of the front section to overlie the said moisture-proof sheet, a moisture-proof sheet secured to the upper portion of the panel on-the inner side thereof adjacent the said neck opening, and a crescent shaped half-collar of fabric material secured to the upper edge of the said panel and inserted within the front portion .of the neck opening, the said half-collar being provided with a moisture-proof sheet secured to its inner side so that when the collar is inserted the upper chest and neck .of an infant wearing the garment are protected by three moisture-proof sheets, none of which directly engages the infant's body.

2. An infants garment comprising a fabric shirt body having connected front and back sections defining shoulder portions and a neck opening, said front section being provided with a moisture-proof sheet secured along its edges externally to said front section of the shirt and extending from the shoulder portions and the neck opening downwardly therefrom to the bottom edge of the shirt, a fabric panel coextensive with said moisture-proof '4 sheet detachably secured to said front section of the shirt at the said shoulder portions and at the bottom edge of the'front section to overlie the moisture-proof sheet, and a moisture-proof sheet secured to the upper portion of said panel on the inner side thereof adjacent the said neck opening.

References Cited in the the of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,556,468 Alamo Oct. 6, 1925 2,212,719 Prouty Aug. 27, 1940 2,425,635 Nitzberg Aug. 12, 1947 2,523,565 Gardner Sept. 26, 1950 2,568,544 Head Sept. 18, 1951 2,635,243 Eskey Apr. 21, 1953 2,727,239 Simon Dec. 20, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 860,257 Great Britain July 16, 1907 310,630 Great Britain May 2, 1939 

